Evaluation of the biological efficacy of neem oil against some pathogens
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31989/bchd.v9i2.1893Abstract
Background: The neem tree (Azadirachta indica) is an evergreen species native to regions such as India and Pakistan and is also cultivated in parts of the Americas. Products derived from neem have numerous applications, particularly in skin, hair, and nail care, as well as in food preservation, due to their ability to inhibit the growth of various microorganisms.
Objective: Three organic solvents, hexane, ethanol, and petroleum ether (80-100°C), were used to extract neem oil from dried, ground seeds using the Soxhlet extraction method. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was employed to determine the fatty acid composition of the extracted oil. The antibacterial activity of neem seed oil was evaluated against four bacterial strains (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli) and one yeast (Candida spp.) at three different concentrations.
Results: The extraction yields were 44.89% using petroleum ether, 42.63% using hexane, and 39.17% using ethanol. Analysis revealed that long-chain fatty acids accounted for 19.77% of the neem seed oil composition, including palmitoleic acid (14.23%), oleic acid (2.49%), palmitic acid (1.50%), stearic acid (0.90%), linoleic acid (1.50%), and linolenic acid (0.05%). Neem seed oil exhibited strong antibacterial activity. Staphylococcus aureus showed inhibition zones of 36, 30, and 28 mm at concentrations of 1000, 500, and 250 µg/mL, respectively. Bacillus spp. demonstrated inhibition zones of 28 , 26 , and 24 mm at the same concentrations. Escherichia coli exhibited inhibition zones of 26 , 22 , and 10 mm, respectively. Lower inhibitory effects were observed against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, with inhibition zones of 18 , 19 , and 3 mm.
Novelty: Neem seed oil represents an effective, sustainable, and environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic antimicrobial agents.
Conclusion: Neem seeds are a valuable source of oil rich in long-chain fatty acids with significant therapeutic potential. The oil demonstrated notable antibacterial and antifungal activity, emphasizing its potential importance for medical and pharmaceutical applications.
Keywords: Neem tree, Oil extraction, Fatty acid and Antimicrobial, antifungal activity, long-chain fatty acids.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Aseel Abdulsattar Gburi, Ayyad Wajeh Raof Al-Shahwany, Sara Thamer Hadi
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